Explosion kills 8 soldiers in Burkina Faso
Eight soldiers were killed on Wednesday by a blast in the troubled north of Burkina Faso, President Roch Marc Christian Kabore announced.
"I have just learned that eight Burkinabe soldiers died after their vehicle drove over a home-made mine planted by the enemies of our people," he said.
The convoy had been heading from Baraboule in Soum province, where militants have carried out a string of attacks since 2015, to the town of Djibo.
"The lead vehicle in the convoy hit the mine" as it was coming off a bridge, a security source told AFP.
Kabore expressed his "deepest condolences to the defense and security forces, to the families and relatives of the victims."
"These horrible and cowardly attacks will never sap our common resolve to defend our national territorial integrity, to restore peace and security for the happiness and prosperity of the Burkinabe people."
One of the world's poorest countries, Burkina Faso started experiencing cross-border extremist attacks in its northern region in 2015 -- an offensive that has now spread to the east of the country.
On Sunday, three miners -- a Burkinabe national, an Indian and a South African -- were seized by armed men between Djibo and a local gold mine.
Hours later, three police officers deployed to help search for the trio were killed in a clash with armed men at Tongomael, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) away.
Abductions include that of Australian Kenneth Elliott and his wife Jocelyn, humanitarian workers in their eighties, who were kidnapped in Djibo in 2015.
Jocelyn Elliott was released but her husband, who had been running a clinic for the poor for decades, is still being held.
On September 8, Kabore said additional security measures would shortly be unveiled "to eradicate the curse of terrorism."
(Source: AFP)
UK's Sunak vows to start migrant flights to Rwanda
US to pull out troops from Niger after France: Report
Burkina Faso expels three French diplomats over ‘subversive activities’
Israeli settlers – protected by military – intrude into Al-Aqsa Mosque
VIDEO | Smirking at lies
200 days of genocide: Palestinian resistance prevails over occupation
Ukraine launches drone strikes on Russia's energy sites
VIDEO | Anti-US sentiments grow in Iraq as US military presence unresolved
Jamaica officially recognizes state of Palestine
Raeisi attends inauguration of Iran-built mega multipurpose project in Sri Lanka
'Sinwar still supervising Gaza war; Israel deliberately delaying talks on captives'
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
